08/02/2026
Many years ago, I started studying Trichology at 18. Back then, you only really went to university if you had well off parents or were clever enough to win a scholarship. The rest of us got job or an apprenticeship. As I was neither a genius nor born into wealth, I took an apprenticeship in hairdressing which rapidly led to my interest in Trichology.
I remember feeling rather hard-done-by that I had to pay for my own education, there were no grants, loans and I didn’t qualify for the local education charity grants as Trichology wasn’t a ‘proper degree’.
I basically went without and worked 2 extra jobs whilst studying 15-20 hours a week (yes, work that one out). I bought no clothes for years and maintaining a dress size 6-8, 8 stone figure was easy - I paid for exams and train fairs rather than buying any more than basic food rations. I took no holidays, didn’t go out, missed out on gigs, treats and all the normal things people in their late teens and early 20’s do.
As years passed, the education system changed to allow all young people to go to university, to study whatever they wanted, whether it led to a job or not. It became norm that everyone with a reasonable level of intelligence did higher education. Most never expected to pay back their loans as they would never earn enough.
As I went through the early years of running my clinic, paying off the vast debt it took to get there, I often felt a pang of resentment for those who had been able to get their higher education for free.
Now given a choice, I’d take that financial hard-graft all over again rather than a lifelong 10% tax on income, it would never be possible to be free from. I’m sure these graduates never understood the consequences of the loans they took out. It should have been made clear that they are going to have to earn one hell of a lot of money to be free of this debt.
It seems the Government can change the terms of these loans whenever they want quite frankly, the terms ‘Loan Shark’ spring to mind.
